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Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? #1606561
04/13/14 01:01 AM
04/13/14 01:01 AM
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RylisPro Offline OP
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Anyone have more pics of the roll cages used in the E-body Trans Am cars? I was looking and these were all I found so far


Also need more pics of how they tied the cage to the shock towers



I need the pics to get ideas on how to build the roll cage in my car

Thanks


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606562
04/13/14 02:10 AM
04/13/14 02:10 AM
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Hamtramck, PA
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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606563
04/13/14 09:09 PM
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Unless you're going for a spot on reproduction of the comp cars, I don't know that I'd want to copy the TA cages exactly. Even post 1970, the kit car program identified alterations that were improvements and a fair amount has been learned since then about about chassis rigidty and improvements. Looking at some of the pictures Barry put up, these cages appear to be pretty limited by the rule set of the day.

One of the biggest highlights in the ensuing years has been discovering the amount flex in the front third of the car and the need to have more rigidity in the firewall/A piller area and rocker area.

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: TC@HP2] #1606564
04/13/14 11:00 PM
04/13/14 11:00 PM
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Quote:

Unless you're going for a spot on reproduction of the comp cars, I don't know that I'd want to copy the TA cages exactly. Even post 1970, the kit car program identified alterations that were improvements and a fair amount has been learned since then about about chassis rigidty and improvements. Looking at some of the pictures Barry put up, these cages appear to be pretty limited by the rule set of the day.

One of the biggest highlights in the ensuing years has been discovering the amount flex in the front third of the car and the need to have more rigidity in the firewall/A piller area and rocker area.




I'd agree.

I'd be looking to copy what Kevin Wesley has been doing to his car here: https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...e=0#Post8073886

IMHO, it's more practical for what I think you intend to do with the car.

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606565
04/14/14 03:49 PM
04/14/14 03:49 PM
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NW Chicago suburban area
Mopar Mitch Offline
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Rylis... I've sat in the Posey and Gurney cars and took a bunch of pics... (even warmed up the engine of the 77 car before a vintage race at Road America!.. ~2012) I'll try to post later.

If I'm correct, I've read that the AAR/T/A were the first TransAm cars to have ever had their roll-cages designed using a computer.


Mopar Mitch "Road racers and autocrossers go in deeper and come out harder!"... and rain never stops us from having fun with our cars... in fact, it makes us better drivers! Check out MOPAR ACTION MAGAZINE, August 2006 issue for feature article and specs on my autocross T/A!
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: Mopar Mitch] #1606566
04/14/14 08:50 PM
04/14/14 08:50 PM
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Quote:

...

If I'm correct, I've read that the AAR/T/A were the first TransAm cars to have ever had their roll-cages designed using a computer.




I remember Bob Tarozzi saying something like that.

It's an uncompromised race car. Nothing compromised for street use. Still 40+ years ago design. I think the biggest looking design differences today would involve the safety aspect.

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: autoxcuda] #1606567
04/14/14 09:10 PM
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Just dropped my car off at the shop to get my cage welded using 1 3/4" .095 wall mild steel tubing. I'm not getting a 70's cage welded as the cage is going to have X bars at the doors since I'm keeping my door structure/windows. I may take the door beams out to save weight though.

I was wondering how the cage is going to be tied to the front shock and wanted to get more ideas. I have a heater core in the way though. I saw that Dart Lite's cage and thought it was really cool, just wasn't sure if that shock bracing went through to the rest of the cage or if it just stops at the starfish looking portion of the firewall.

I might not get that far as my brake master cylinder is in the way so well see...


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606568
04/14/14 09:22 PM
04/14/14 09:22 PM
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Fly Over States
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Can't find pictures of these parts...but remember the old XV Motorsports firewall to shock tower brace? Doubt that will work either with a factory heater box on the passenger side.

It's tough to make a complete race car cage into a car that is retaining its street luxury components.

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606569
04/14/14 09:25 PM
04/14/14 09:25 PM
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Nebraska
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Just a heads up, SCCA rules state 1.75" .120 wall IIRC.


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: 72Swinger] #1606570
04/14/14 11:24 PM
04/14/14 11:24 PM
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RylisPro Offline OP
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Quote:

Just a heads up, SCCA rules state 1.75" .120 wall IIRC.




Took a screen shot off my phone.
This is the SCCA GCR as of Feb. 2014
Over 2699 lbs. 1.75 x 0.095
Hopefully I don't have to use 0.120 wall as it would add more weight


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606571
04/15/14 12:55 AM
04/15/14 12:55 AM
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USA
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Consulier Offline
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NASA over 3,000 is .120

I would use .120 since most other sanctioning bodies follow the NASA spec.

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606572
04/15/14 01:05 AM
04/15/14 01:05 AM
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Quote:

I was wondering how the cage is going to be tied to the front shock and wanted to get more ideas. I have a heater core in the way though. I saw that Dart Lite's cage and thought it was really cool, just wasn't sure if that shock bracing went through to the rest of the cage or if it just stops at the starfish looking portion of the firewall.




There is a lateral bar that comes off the downtube to the backside of the underhood bar and a downtube from that intersection to the floor mount. Makes a nice triangle to tie in the forward section.

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: Consulier] #1606573
04/15/14 01:10 AM
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Nebraska
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My mentality is its better to err to the big side so your covered. Would suck to have to yank it all out later if your goals change IMO.


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: 72Swinger] #1606574
04/15/14 02:13 AM
04/15/14 02:13 AM
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RylisPro Offline OP
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You guys make a great point, 0.120 it is
I wonder how much more it will weigh?


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606575
04/15/14 02:17 AM
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Im guessing a 20-40 lb difference between .095 and .120. You could weigh a stick of each and do the math. Around here un-cut DOM comes in 20ft sticks, be kind've a pain to weigh though.
Edit: Found it .120 is .573 lb more per foot
So 20ft of it is a whopping 11.46 lbs more.

Last edited by 72Swinger; 04/15/14 02:23 AM.

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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606576
04/23/14 11:40 AM
04/23/14 11:40 AM
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I think I figured out how to tie the roll cage with the shock tower together. I just bought these inner fender braces from US Car Tool which gave me the idea

If I tied the A pillar with tubing that goes the same path as the brace through the inner fender into the engine compartment and down to the frame rail like so:

it should strengthen things up quite a bit


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606577
04/23/14 11:59 AM
04/23/14 11:59 AM
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Quote:

You guys make a great point, 0.120 it is
I wonder how much more it will weigh?





1.75x0.095" wall DOM is 1.679lb/ft
1.75"x0.120" wall DOM is 2.089lb/ft


So if you used two 20' sticks, you'd be looking at a 16.5lb difference. Just a random number on length there..


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606578
04/23/14 11:43 PM
04/23/14 11:43 PM
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Quote:



it should strengthen things up quite a bit





I like it

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606579
05/09/14 09:42 PM
05/09/14 09:42 PM
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I'm legal in all classes now


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606580
05/10/14 01:08 PM
05/10/14 01:08 PM
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upper So. CA
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ntsqd Offline
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Quote:







My first Rule of Thumb is that a tube bender is a tool, not an obligation. A straight section of tube is stiff and structural. A section of tube with an unsupported bend in it is a spring. To me those front tubes are springs and not of any structural value. Feed loads into the structure at tube intersections (or better put: put the tube intersections at the load points). A tube intersection in the middle of nowhere, like the front of the bent front tubes above, does nothing for the car but add weight. Take that bend out, put a bend in it to align it with the top of the engine bay and extend it to the core support, then put in a "Monte Carlo bar" tying those two bends together across the engine bay, then tie across in front of the radiator with at least a single diagonal if not an X. Now you're starting to build some stiffness into the chassis.

Simplified I see two distinct possible distortions of the OE front structure. First is the UCA inner mounts trying to move laterally under load. The second is the whole front of the car trying to twist. If we didn't have an engine in the way an X'd pair of tubes crossing from the left upper shock mount to the right UCA mount and vice versa would stop those 4 points from moving relative to each other.
Then the second mode, the twist comes along. If there were truss type structure btwn the end-points of the X above and the main cage it would resist the twist.

The reality is that there is an engine and a radiator and steering, and and and to work around. But if you start with the ideal you can then fit it around the reality. I have seen that X fitted btwn the engine and the radiator (electric fans) and I have seen that X in front of the radiator. When in front there was removable structure over the top of the engine. To do this clean and nice have a look at the cage couplers that DeNunzio Racing offers. http://www.denunzioracing.com/shop/denunzio/tubecouplings.html


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: ntsqd] #1606581
05/10/14 02:30 PM
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Did you mean something like this?
One negative thing is that it would add a bunch of front end weight and that is what I am definitely trying to avoid


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606582
05/10/14 05:00 PM
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Quote:


Did you mean something like this?
One negative thing is that it would add a bunch of front end weight and that is what I am definitely trying to avoid





No. I wouldn't do that.

The chassis ends at the front K-member bolt. Anything forward of that is just fluff or because the motor is in the way (which it is of course).

So you do what you can to get your structure as close to the front K-member bolts as possible.

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: autoxcuda] #1606583
05/10/14 08:09 PM
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What amount of stiffening would an engine plate provide? If any?

Engine plate

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: keyser soze] #1606584
05/10/14 09:37 PM
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Quote:

What amount of stiffening would an engine plate provide? If any?

Engine plate




If you run it with rubber bushings...No stiffening at all.

You can make it a stressed member if you integrate it into to the cage and frame. Needs to be basically locked and pinned in place. IMHO, not just typically bolted in place. Both holes need to ride tightly on the shoulder of the through bolt and fits so tight it needs to be tapped in.

And the thickness of the Magnum Force place is too thin for a stressed member.

Here's one we build that was fairly stout. We were in mild accidents and it bent the plate. That was sort of a downfall of the plate.



IMHO, this is a little thin on the chassis tab. but there is a lateral support gusset that you can't see.

Last edited by autoxcuda; 05/10/14 09:43 PM.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: autoxcuda] #1606585
05/11/14 01:25 AM
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IMHO, if you run a tube cage I don't think you need to run the inner fender braces.

Here's a rough sketch idea of mine. Trying to route triangulation into the front chassis box. Trying to resist twist.

I don't think you could run a straight cross bar from the front k-member bolt area to the other side. I'm pretty sure that goes right through the crank pulley.

Last edited by autoxcuda; 05/11/14 05:38 PM.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: autoxcuda] #1606586
05/11/14 12:19 PM
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As noted I wouldn't put the X any further fwd than necessary. If there simply isn't room btwn the engine and the radiator for it then fwd of the radiator is the likely only option left. Recall that I said to put the tube intersections where the loads are. That's also what autoxcuda is talking about, feed the K member bolt loads into the tube structure directly. That requires notching into the OE box section or something to get right to the plates that the bolts thread into.

Ideally those bends in the upper tubes would also have a tube running from them to the center of the cowl/dash bar (the "export brace" in Mustang terms), but only if the cowl bar can feed those loads further into the tube structure. I.e. if it too is bent at the center to meet those tubes at the cowl and re-direct the loads to the windshield post tubes, which then distribute the loads throughout the rest of the structure. It's 3 dimensional truss design, think in terms of triangles - anything else will flex.

On a couple drag cars that I've worked on I built a fore/aft engine locator bracket that bolted to the OE engine mounts and had a pretty serious strut that bolted btwn it and and somewhere on the chassis - specifically to stop the plate from bending due to engine inertia.

Last edited by ntsqd; 05/11/14 12:21 PM.

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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: autoxcuda] #1606587
05/11/14 04:53 PM
05/11/14 04:53 PM
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Quote:

IMHO, if you run a tube cage I don't think you need to run the inner fender braces.

Here's a rough sketch idea of mine. Trying to route triangulation into the front chassis box. Trying to resist twist.

I don't think you could run a straight cross bar from the front k-member bolt area to the other side. I'm pretty sure that goes right through the crank pulley.




That's a pretty comprehensive design IMO. Three areas I would like to see tweaked, if possible. 1. the short front upper 8"? connector, reduced to close to zero. 2. The L and R front upper down legs make a 45Deg? angle down towards the front, just make a straight tube starting the down angle at the last node, 3. At this same node add an angled tube heading back to lower chassis/firewall area.

Not sure but does any of this tubimg need to meet and dia or thickness requirements since not part of the cage?

Not sure how without any bolted connections, motor could be removed from above. But the design looks solid.


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606588
05/11/14 05:14 PM
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Quote:

Quote:

IMHO, if you run a tube cage I don't think you need to run the inner fender braces.

Here's a rough sketch idea of mine. Trying to route triangulation into the front chassis box. Trying to resist twist.

I don't think you could run a straight cross bar from the front k-member bolt area to the other side. I'm pretty sure that goes right through the crank pulley.




That's a pretty comprehensive design IMO. Three areas I would like to see tweaked, if possible. 1. the short front upper 8"? connector, reduced to close to zero. 2. The L and R front upper down legs make a 45Deg? angle down towards the front, just make a straight tube starting the down angle at the last node, 3. At this same node add an angled tube heading back to lower chassis/firewall area.

...snip...




Yea, I considered a straight tube from the cowl to the front K-member bolt. But I wanted something higher to bolt the front X and crossbar to. Opps I forgot the crossbar! <-I went back and fixed my drawing.

I agree that going up and turning down doesn't prove much without the cross bar. But I know you will run right through the upper control arm mount if you go straight. And maybe get into tire clearance issue in an exteme situation. So it will need some sort of turn to it to miss things in the way.


Last edited by autoxcuda; 05/11/14 08:51 PM.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606589
05/11/14 05:25 PM
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Quote:

Quote:

IMHO, if you run a tube cage I don't think you need to run the inner fender braces.

Here's a rough sketch idea of mine. Trying to route triangulation into the front chassis box. Trying to resist twist.

I don't think you could run a straight cross bar from the front k-member bolt area to the other side. I'm pretty sure that goes right through the crank pulley.




....

Not sure but does any of this tubimg need to meet and dia or thickness requirements since not part of the cage?

Not sure how without any bolted connections, motor could be removed from above. But the design looks solid.




Engine crossbars generally don't have thickness specs. They are not really a safety deal, mostly performance deal.

In the pictures I posted here of the motor plate, that is initial assymbly at the beginning of the season. There are a system of crossbars yet to be bolted on. If you look closely there are small tubes going through the large roll cage tubes. Crossbars (we called it a spider web) bolts to those through tubes.

Yes the crossbars bolt on. And most connections are not bolted with a thru bolt connecting overlapping flanges.

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: autoxcuda] #1606590
05/11/14 09:07 PM
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Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

IMHO, if you run a tube cage I don't think you need to run the inner fender braces.

Here's a rough sketch idea of mine. Trying to route triangulation into the front chassis box. Trying to resist twist.

I don't think you could run a straight cross bar from the front k-member bolt area to the other side. I'm pretty sure that goes right through the crank pulley.




....

Not sure but does any of this tubimg need to meet and dia or thickness requirements since not part of the cage?

Not sure how without any bolted connections, motor could be removed from above. But the design looks solid.




Engine crossbars generally don't have thickness specs. They are not really a safety deal, mostly performance deal.

In the pictures I posted here of the motor plate, that is initial assymbly at the beginning of the season. There are a system of crossbars yet to be bolted on. If you look closely there are small tubes going through the large roll cage tubes. Crossbars (we called it a spider web) bolts to those through tubes.

Yes the crossbars bolt on. And most connections are not bolted with a thru bolt connecting overlapping flanges.




Here's what it looks like with the center cage bolted in.

We went to smaller grade 8 bolts becasue of weight and that the previous years 3/4" grade 8 bolts were overkill compared the bars they connected too.

The two very narrow bars are just to support the radiator.



This was a one-off all-out chassis built to win another track championship (it did) and run for national championship (close but not). Things got wacky on this car. For instance, the little welded in tubes that the cross bar bolts go thru the roll bar are machined thin in the center to reduce weight.


Last edited by autoxcuda; 05/11/14 09:15 PM.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: autoxcuda] #1606591
05/12/14 02:35 PM
05/12/14 02:35 PM
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Upon further reflection, the 1 of 3 "tweaks" I mentioned, "Three areas I would like to see tweaked, if possible. 1. the short front upper 8"? connector, reduced to close to zero", this one might be a stiffer solution, but likely would have a huge stress concentration, and prone to fatigue and failure, and therefore not an improvement over what you had napkin drawn. Nevermind.


Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606592
06/12/14 07:19 PM
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Since I am getting X bars welded in the doorways would it be beneficial to remove the door beams?
I hear it would cut out approx. 25 lbs. per side

Thanks


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606593
06/12/14 09:39 PM
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If it was my car, yes.


Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606594
06/13/14 08:00 PM
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Quote:

Since I am getting X bars welded in the doorways would it be beneficial to remove the door beams?
I hear it would cut out approx. 25 lbs. per side

Thanks





Are there any vehicles that have a combination of hinges and latches that enables the door to contribute the the chassis stiffness?

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RichV] #1606595
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I took 14? pics 3-12-08 of the mopar e bodies at a Sebring Historic race. The last pic is just for icing, it's the captive spring loaded quickly outlawed lug nut system. And I think cage design has progressed from this era, and in the one with the back seat cooler, you see the 3rd link mounting point interior intrusion.

Last edited by jcc; 06/14/14 12:34 AM.

Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606596
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#2

Last edited by jcc; 06/14/14 12:19 AM.

Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606597
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#3

8175602-P3120064.jpg (271 downloads)

Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606598
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8175605-P3120060.jpg (284 downloads)

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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606599
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8175606-P3120059.jpg (249 downloads)

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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606600
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8175609-P3120058.jpg (227 downloads)

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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606601
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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606602
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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606603
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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606604
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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606605
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8175619-P3120083.jpg (155 downloads)

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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606606
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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606607
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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606608
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Captive spring loaded lug nuts, last one


Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606609
07/06/14 11:58 PM
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progress


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606610
07/07/14 01:12 AM
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Ontario,Canada
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Quote:

#12




That would never fly on any modern racecar!

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606611
07/07/14 02:51 AM
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Quote:


progress



looks like you're getting a real nice setup there.


Mopar to the bone!!!
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: brads70] #1606612
07/07/14 08:34 PM
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Quote:

Quote:

#12




That would never fly on any modern racecar!




Good eye, and part of the reason I took the pic, and why I am sometimes leery of using 70's solutions today.


Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606613
07/11/14 08:19 PM
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About 75% complete. The chassis should be a little stiffer than before
I keep wondering how different it will be to drive?


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #1606614
07/11/14 11:08 PM
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I see your main rollbar diagnol is the now preferred one piece. Since you are 75% finished, this is a leaf spring or a 4 link rear chassis, because your rear down bars are not to the rear?
I also like personally but seldom see it, but a low as possible bar tying both of the bottom legs of the main hoop together, any side impact would without any lower bar would depend solely on the chassis sheet metal floor with a large DS tunnel in the middle, and a bent OEM crossmember, not a lot of protection for the occupants, IMO, and easy to install this additional bar.


Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: 72Swinger] #1606615
07/12/14 09:14 PM
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Quote:

Quote:


progress



looks like you're getting a real nice setup there.



Any idea what it's bolted to? If it's the sub-frame connector or something attached to it then things may not be as bad as they look.

Concur on tying the lower ends of the main hoop together. Wouldn't mind seeing all four points on the floor surrounding the driver tied together. One car that I did some detail fab work on had an X between those points as well. The intersection of the X tubes and the tunnel was pure art, but this was way before digital cameras so no pics.


I used to swerve around my hallucinations, now I drive right thru them.
Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: jcc] #1606616
07/17/14 12:44 PM
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Quote:

I see your main rollbar diagnol is the now preferred one piece. Since you are 75% finished, this is a leaf spring or a 4 link rear chassis, because your rear down bars are not to the rear?





I noticed this too. Perfect arrangement for a coil over conversion, but less than ideal for a leaf spring car that is putting loads in to the rear most part of the sub-frame.

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: TC@HP2] #2853580
11/30/20 09:58 PM
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Originally Posted by TC@HP2
Quote
I see your main rollbar diagnol is the now preferred one piece. Since you are 75% finished, this is a leaf spring or a 4 link rear chassis, because your rear down bars are not to the rear?


I noticed this too. Perfect arrangement for a coil over conversion, but less than ideal for a leaf spring car that is putting loads in to the rear most part of the sub-frame.


For years I had thought that the roll cage in the `Cuda was built wrong when it came to the rear down tubes. It turns out that my roll cage is built correctly to SCCA specs which is from the main hoop 45° degrees to the wheel wells. I called two SCCA tech inspectors to verify this as well as tubing size specs, etc.

Originally that's how All American Racers built the Trans Am cars were down tubes from the main hoop to rear leaf spring perch. What SCCA rules and engineering requires currently is down tubes from main hoop to go at 45° deg down to the wheel wells. That way in a rear end accident it can crumple the rear of the car without transferring additional force through the down tubes into the main hoop therefore not compromising/kinking the main hoop & halo. I also have a fuel cell cage back there to help absorb any rear impact.

The reason I brought this thread back from the dead is just to clear up some confusion as I will be tig welding in the cage on the 73 Challenger build. Felt dumb for years thinking my cagebuilder installed it incorrectly when he was actually correct haha! I will also add in tubes that tie in the torsion bar crossmember which "mirrors" it inside the passenger compartment as well as a tube the ties both legs of the main hoop together. I'll get video to document and post it up on our YouTube channel next year. Still have to buy all the tube because I'm broke haha!

Not pointing any one person out, just replying to the last post thanks!
[Linked Image]


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #2855622
12/05/20 11:13 AM
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I would put a bar from top of door bar, attached to main hoop and down rearward to frame rail in front of or next to wheel tub and add torque box. That way all rear end forces go into structure or at least help to stiffen the fronts mounts


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Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #2856260
12/06/20 09:22 PM
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Originally Posted by RylisPro
Originally Posted by TC@HP2
Quote
I see your main rollbar diagnol is the now preferred one piece. Since you are 75% finished, this is a leaf spring or a 4 link rear chassis, because your rear down bars are not to the rear?


I noticed this too. Perfect arrangement for a coil over conversion, but less than ideal for a leaf spring car that is putting loads in to the rear most part of the sub-frame.


For years I had thought that the roll cage in the `Cuda was built wrong when it came to the rear down tubes. It turns out that my roll cage is built correctly to SCCA specs which is from the main hoop 45° degrees to the wheel wells. I called two SCCA tech inspectors to verify this as well as tubing size specs, etc.

Originally that's how All American Racers built the Trans Am cars were down tubes from the main hoop to rear leaf spring perch. What SCCA rules and engineering requires currently is down tubes from main hoop to go at 45° deg down to the wheel wells. That way in a rear end accident it can crumple the rear of the car without transferring additional force through the down tubes into the main hoop therefore not compromising/kinking the main hoop & halo. I also have a fuel cell cage back there to help absorb any rear impact.

The reason I brought this thread back from the dead is just to clear up some confusion as I will be tig welding in the cage on the 73 Challenger build. Felt dumb for years thinking my cagebuilder installed it incorrectly when he was actually correct haha! I will also add in tubes that tie in the torsion bar crossmember which "mirrors" it inside the passenger compartment as well as a tube the ties both legs of the main hoop together. I'll get video to document and post it up on our YouTube channel next year. Still have to buy all the tube because I'm broke haha!

Not pointing any one person out, just replying to the last post thanks!
[Linked Image]


Things evolve, roll with the changes, learn new ways to go fast...

Re: Trans Am E-body roll cage pics? [Re: RylisPro] #2856538
12/07/20 01:37 PM
12/07/20 01:37 PM
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" I also have a fuel cell cage back there to help absorb any rear impact." eek tsk

You put fuel in it?

Sorry, I'd be much more concerned about a fuel fed fire ,then any rear crumple zone advantages.


"


Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
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